


i wish this tea was wine, so i could forget that you should leave

by NoodlePie



Category: LoveLink (Mobile Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, F/M, Falling In Love, First Dates, Fluff, Forbidden Love, Idiots in Love, LoveLink - Freeform, dating sims
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-17
Updated: 2020-09-17
Packaged: 2021-03-08 00:27:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,250
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26516710
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NoodlePie/pseuds/NoodlePie
Summary: Hugo decided to ask you to meet in person for whatever reason and even knowing that it's a bad idea you still went.
Relationships: Hugo Hornsby/ MC
Comments: 10
Kudos: 62





	i wish this tea was wine, so i could forget that you should leave

**Author's Note:**

> I love Hugo and I pray to every god out there to not ruin this man for me. I just want to love him so hard. 
> 
> Also I haven't written in the "you" perspective in AGGGGEEEESS, so bear with me, I thought I'd try something new.

You never thought you’d ever find yourself in that position. In fact, you didn’t even know why you agreed to meet him considering the circumstances were nearly miserable and quite messy. What were you thinking? No, seriously, what were you thinking? Hell, what was he thinking when he invited you to meet up and talk? It’s not like there was an easy solution to what had gone down and you had promised yourself that you weren’t going to get involved in any stupidly passionate projects and heart farts. Why were you there? Why did you sit down? You knew better than to fall for that guy. And you also knew it wasn’t too late to back out, delete Lovelink from your phone and carry on with your life like nothing had ever happened, but every time you thought about it, your stomach curled into a ball and you felt like throwing up. No way. There was no way you could abandon him. 

It was 10 minutes past your appointed time and as the seconds slipped through, your flight response became stronger and stronger. This was wrong. Him setting you up with his best friend was one thing but why did he have to insist on keeping you close once things with Taylor had not worked? Why couldn’t he just let you go and go on the next match? You knew why and it made you cringe every time you thought about it. Because he felt it too. You hadn’t even met the guy in person but the image of him in your head was enough to give you the tingles and Sally coming up in the conversation was the sure fire way to violently drop you back on Earth. 

You checked your phone about 15 times to see if he had texted you to at least cancel last minute but he hadn’t. No messages. You had a couple of notifications from Lovelink from your other matches and while some of them had proven themselves interesting, none of them really hit quite like Hugo. You craved that man more than anything and the fact that he had a fiance made you want to run into a wall. 

That’s it. You had to leave. This couldn’t happen. He could have at least told you he wasn’t coming. Or maybe even skipped the part where he ever invited you for a coffee. 

You stared into the steaming mug in front of you, a perfectly prepared cup of chamomile tea to ease your anxiety. Tea had never failed you really, many things had, but tea always made you feel so much better about whatever was going on, so one sip before you packed your stuff and left was worth it. 

“Jamie?” - a man’s voice called you and when you looked up, you almost inhaled the scorching tea that had barely kissed your lips. It was him. He looked...beautiful. A bit stressed and sweaty like he had just sprinted for his life but still absolutely and unfairly gorgeous. 

“That’s me.” - you heard yourself awkwardly say and immediately regretted it. You placed the mug back on the wee coaster and your eyes met his again, this time forcing a smile. 

“I’m so sorry for showing up late. I got caught up at home and then as you see, had to run here. Thank you for not just...leaving.” 

“Caught up...with Sally?” - you asked and the name stung your mouth and somehow tasted bitter and salty. 

“With Sally.” 

About a thousand different scenarios swished through your head before you managed to speak again. The image of them kissing, hugging, him telling her how much he loves her, her telling him the same, them having a happy lunch together...You knew that the reality was different and that Sally was, in fact, quite absent in their relationship and even though you never wanted to see Hugo get hurt or sad, her failure to be a good girlfriend almost brought you relief. 

“Does she know you’re here...with me?” - your voice lingered around the last two words. The answer was obvious but you wanted to know for sure. You wanted him to say it. 

“No, I’m afraid she doesn’t. I wanted to tell her but...I couldn’t. This was a bad idea wasn’t it? I mean...I’m so glad to see you in the flesh. I just…” 

“...you don’t know what you’re doing. Honestly, I don’t know either. “ 

Your eyes met again and the urge to jump out of your seat and throw yourself on him hit you like a train. You had only imagined his handsome presence, the way he smells, moves and reacts to your every word. It felt like one of those moments in the movies where the two characters stare at each other while the tension is rising until it blows up and they jump their bones. That wasn’t one of those moments though. That one was a lot more painful and lacking a happy ending, you could feel it. You both felt it, the pull, the attraction, the need to replace breathing with kissing, however, all these feelings were shadowed by dense guilt. Once you crossed that line there was no coming back and although you craved that man like a drug, you didn’t want him to cheat on Sally with you because that would make him a cheater. And you didn’t want him to be a cheater. Not that him making a dating app account with his name and being actively flirty and affectionate with you was too far off from cheating but you kept telling yourself that it could be worse. 

“Ugh, this is horrible. I really messed up this time. “ - he grunted and rubbed his eyes for a short second. - “Would you mind if I went to get a cup of coffee? Maybe that would help.” 

“Go for it. “ 

“Need anything else?” - he stood up and looked at you with so much hope in his eyes. Hope that you would need anything from him, even if it’s a stale muffin or another sugar packet and he’d feel a bit less guilty about potentially hurting you or Sally. For a second even you wanted to give him that little gesture and peace of mind. 

“I think I’m good, but thank you. I appreciate it.” - you said and gave him a more genuine smile this time. He nodded with a tiny smirk and walked to the register on the other side of the coffee shop. Watching him browse through the big plates on which the menu was printed was somehow…captivating. Observing him change poses,every single one of which being strangely attractive, and have an internal monologue about how many shots of espresso he needed and whether or not he wanted something sweet to add to his coffee added to the already enormous pile of guilty tingles. It almost made you angry. Why shouldn’t you enjoy this feeling? Why shouldn’t you let this connection happen? You couldn’t even remember the last time someone had got under your skin like that. Why would you not deserve to feel desired and loved by someone? Sally wasn’t even good enough for him and he knew it too. They weren’t married. They can just break everything off and continue their lives separately. Seemed like Taylor had grown much closer to Sally either way. A win situation for everybody. Everything happened for a reason and you firmly believed that. There was a lesson to be learnt and shit to be eaten before you and Hugo could slow dance under the moonlight as the hopeless romantics that you were. Frankly, you were more than willing to dive in. Unless he cut you off, of course. 

But he wouldn’t do that. Right? He wouldn’t just wake up one day with the realization that it’s too risky and not worth the sacrifice of his engagement with Sally. 

He wouldn’t just abandon you, right? 

Before you slipped down a deep void of horror, he returned with a tall cup of iced coffee and a chocolate bonbon. 

“I know you said you didn’t want anything but I got you something either way. “ - he slid the chocolate treat towards you. “Because you’re too sweet to me and so is this thing here. “ 

You didn’t even try to hide the grin that stretched across your face. _Cheesy motherfucker_ , you thought and shook your head in disbelief that he was somehow still winning the game, even if he was in huge trouble with you and his partner of 10 years. 

“That’s awfully... _sweet_ of you, Hugo.” 

He rolled his eyes sarcastically. - “Don’t make me regret it now.” 

You took a long sip from your now lukewarm tea and stared at him while he was loudly stirring his coffee. You had barely just met him no more than couple of weeks ago and you could feel the looming feeling of l...No. There was no way you were going to admit that even to yourself. Not until what needed to be done was done. Not until choices were made. 

“How’s Taylor doing?”- you asked to initiate any sort of a relevant conversation before the air thickened with awkward energy and discomfort. 

“He’s alright. I just saw him today actually. He’s helping…….Sally with one of her projects.” - based on the grimace that danced on his face, it was only when he had said it out loud had he realized how odd that sounded. You raised your eyebrows waiting for the development in his realization. 

“So your best friend is at your house “helping” your fiance with a project of hers while you’re out with a woman you met on a dating app while trying to set up your friend? Color me speechless, Hugo. “ 

His cheeks turned pink and he avoided your stare. 

“And yet, the reason why you look so perturbed is not even your fiance and best friend spending a strangely long time together.” - you poked again, as if hoping that pouring oil into the fire of his unresolved emotions would solve anything. 

“Well, maybe it's not!” - he half shouted, mild irritation shaking his otherwise velvety voice. “If they can be close friends then why can’t I have a close friend? Why can’t I have a connection with someone else too?” 

You blinked twice, unsure where to even begin with that entire topic. 

“No one said you can’t. The point is not you two having outside friends. The point is that you’re beating a horse that died at least 5 years ago but you refuse to bury it and move on because a part of you is still hoping that it will wake up from the dead one day. And it won’t. It’s dead. Stop beating the very dead horse, Hugo. It probably smells bad too. There’s another very much alive horse that’s waiting for you. “ 

“Did you just….?”

“Yes, I did.” 

He sighed. You weren’t sure if he was annoyed by your ridiculous horse analogy or the fact that it made too much sense. 

“Look, I’m not pressuring you to make a choice. Just maybe think about what _you_ want. Forget about me, Sally or Taylor. Just do what would make you happy. “ you reached across the table and placed your hand above his. He winced at first but then eased into it and squeezed your fingers tightly as if it was the only thing holding him stable. “It’s okay, dear. Whatever you need and want to do - it’s okay and you don’t have to do it alone. “ - you pulled your hand out of his hold and touched his sculpted face instead. His eyes were glued to yours, screaming to find the right answer but his mouth stayed shut. As you caressed his cheekbone, you felt him relax a tiny bit in your palm. It was the first time you two had touched. He hadn’t hugged you when he had arrived. It was one of those moments when you fully realize someone is real. He was very real. Right there, in front of you. You hadn’t imagined him and he wasn’t someone else. He was Hugo. Soft, beautiful and very confused Hugo. You only hoped that he would choose you but you knew that there was a big chance he didn’t. It definitely ranked as one of the most terrifying feelings you had experienced and that’s what pushed you to realize even more how much you desired that man. 

“It’s going to be okay. “ he concurred, placed the sweaty plastic cup on the table and reached for your hand that was holding his face. It was cold but at first but soon after, your combined body heat took care of the freeze. 

That’s how you wanted to remember him in case your paths separated - hair a bit messy, eyes as deep and blue as the twilight sky, hand holding you close, making sure that you won’t slip away and vanish into thin air and the feeling of comfort you felt around him. The cozy feeling of being accepted and appreciated for exactly what you were - nothing less and nothing more. And the hunger and desire you had for this man. 

A short moment of bliss that you only wish would end, so your lips can touch but not for any other reason. And even if you knew it wasn’t going to happen that time or ever, having this little glimpse of the universe stuck in your brain felt like it was enough. 


End file.
